100-222 Understanding Australian Media

This subject is only available to students enrolled in the BA (Media and Communications), BA (Media and Communications)/Bachelor of Commerce, and the BA (Media and Communications)/Bachelor of Laws.

Completion of 100 points of arts subjects including 25 points of core Media and Communications study at first year.

This subject examines Australian media in terms of historical perspectives, policy, governance and local content, and encourages students to actively, and critically, consume Australian media. The subject utilises a wide variety of primary sources including media texts, policy documents and audience data, as well as scholarly analyses. Topics covered include online newspapers, contemporary magazines, talkback radio, reality television, advertising, political and government communication, journalism and ethics, music and youth programming, indigenous media and the future of web-based media. On completion of the subject students should have developed a strong grasp of the major thematic issues affecting Australian media.

Class participation, presentations and written work totalling 4000 words. Students must attend at least 80% of classes to be eligible for assessment.

A subject reader will be available.

• S Cunningham & G Turner (eds), The Media and Communications in Australia. 2002 edition only.